If You Only Have a Hammer

What Keeps You on Your Knees?

What tools do you have in your toolbox? If you only have a hammer, what can you accomplish? Other than hanging a picture to hide a hole you left when you put your fist through the wall, what are you able to fix? How are you going to use the only tool you have to make your life better? Another way to ask the same question, “Is what I have at my disposal, or have access to, sufficient to help me get off my knees?”

Defining Moments

We cringe at the mere thought that we must be broken; that we must endure hardship that will separate us from our egos and strip us of our prideful selves. It happens to almost all of us; we come to a place that what we do and what we aspire to be must take a back seat to who we are. Some are teachable and learn this lesson the first time. For the rest of us, those who are more obtuse, have to return to class a few times before we figure it out.

Nearly every one of us has had at least one defining moment in our lives; an event, or series of events, that rocked us to our core. Whether it was a physical, emotional, relational or spiritual, it had the same effect; it brought us to our knees, stopping us dead in our tracks. While some can pull themselves up and emerge even stronger, and redefine a normal life, there are others that stay on their knees unable or unwilling to get back on their feet.

Then there a some, who have experienced numerous setbacks and hardships, that always get up off of their knees that have a peace and contentment that is indescribable. They are the unsung hero’s in this story. How do they do it? They live with the understanding that the very thing that brought them to their knees was not intended to keep them on their knees.

Our Enemy

We all strive to be whole, to be perfect in body and soul, however perfection is an illusion; it’s the lie that keeps us on our knees. If we wait until we can perform a task perfectly, we would accomplish very little. We would never ride a bicycle, cook meatloaf in a crock-pot or publish our first book. If we wait until we are perfect, we will never forge friendships or raise a family.

Perfection is our enemy; it is the enemy of the good and the great. It keeps our focus on the unattainable. If our focus is to do our best and be our best, we are always moving forward, thinking creatively and acting decisively. If our focus is to be perfect, we never leave the comfort of our surroundings or the confines of our circumstances no matter where find ourselves.

An Empty Tool Box

The future belongs to those who are resourceful, have a drive and are optimistic; they find a way to get up off their knees. Even though the experiences have been humbling, they are not humiliated. They are willing to throw everything at their obstacle, including their kitchen sink. Abraham Maslow, the psychologist who is best known for creating Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, offers this thought:

If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.

Maslow would argue that we see our problems as simplistic if we have only one resource at our disposal and when we do, we convince ourselves that our rightful place is on our knees.

What tools do you have in your toolbox? If all you see is a rusty hammer, you may lack the resources to get off your knees. The good news is that their tools are out there, and people willing and able to teach us how to use them. We still have to do the heavy lifting. It won’t be easy but its worth the effort.

Maslow would be trilled if each of us had all the tools at our disposal we need to fix that unsightly hole in the wall and didn’t have to resort to hanging yet another velvet Elvis in an awkward place.

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Ivy thinks we need to stop at Home Depot to buy some tools to build her a dog house. She wants her a place of her own.

Al and his faithful, but liberated sidekick, Ivy the wonder pup.

Ivy, you realize that means you will be sleeping outside.